WEDNESDAY NIGHT FINALS RECAP....

The second tier did their best to claw forward to make noise among the top tier of Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball standings on Wednesday.

In Philadelphia, an 18-point performance by Erin Nelson aided the St. Louis Billikens to a big road victory, 69-65 over St. Joseph's. It was the second league victory for St. Louis, improving to 2-5, 7-13. The upset loss stung the Hawks, who fell to 5-3 in the A-10, 16-5 overall.  This will prove to be one of those "bad" losses people like to talk about come NCAA Tournament time.

Erin Shields, Sarah Fairbanks and Natasha Cloud all had 15 points for St. Joseph's.

Also in the City of Brotherly Love, a senior and a freshman rose to the occasion for the Richmond Spiders, reeling after the news that leading scorer Olivia Healy was lost for the season after a knee injury a week earlier, came into Tom Gola Arena and defeated the one-time first place La Salle Explorers, 56-39.

Hubbard, the freshman, led the Spiders with 18 points. King, the senior, added 17 as well as six rebounds. Defense was key for Richmond, holding the Explorers to a 24.5 percent performance from the floor. They missed all eleven three-point shot attempts. Jasmine Alston and Alicia Cropper each scored 11 for La Salle, now 5-3, 10-10. The Spiders are 4-4 in league play and 10-11 overall.

The one team to keep it going in the upper tier during the Wednesday night tripleheader was league leader Duquesne, who forced 26 George Mason turnovers en route to a 64-45 win in Fairfax.

The Patriots, still looking for their first-ever league victory, started two freshman, trying to find a rhythm, a formula for that elusive "W". It started well as George Mason took an early lead, but the Dukes punched back with a 10-0 run for a 14-10 lead eight minutes in. The lead by halftime was 33-25.

It wasn't a strong shooting night for the Dukes, shooting 35 percent from the field on the night. But hitting 17-of-23 free throws helped, as did 13 assists and less than half of Mason's 26 turnovers. The Dukes committed 12.

Wumi Abunbiade led Duquesne with 16 points, Raegan Moore had 15 and Olivia Bresnahan added 12. Janaa Pickard led George Mason with 12 points, the only Patriot in double figures. Credit Duquesne for good work defensively on Sandra Ngoie, held to only four points and three rebounds while saddled in foul trouble.

The Dukes are now 7-1 in A-10 play, 15-6 overall, while George Mason is at 0-8, 6-15.

BREAKING: Impressive Richmond Freshman Out For Season.....

Terribly bad news for the Richmond Spiders as it was announced today Olivia Healy, promising freshman, is done for the year after an injury a week earlier at St. Louis.

Complete information available HERE.

We're glad we got to see her in action and talk with her at the George Mason game on January 15th. We wish her a complete recovery and look forward to seeing her at the Robins Center again next season!

THE WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE....

St. Louis (1-5, 6-13) at St. Joseph's (5-2, 16-4), 7pm ET
Duquesne (6-1, 14-6) at George Mason (0-7, 6-14), 7pm ET
Richmond (3-4, 9-11) at LaSalle (5-2, 10-9), 7pm ET

FINAL FROM EARLIER TODAY:

Fordham 64, Rhode Island 51.....Fordham now 6-2 in Atlantic 10, 17-4 overall. Rhode Island falls to 1-7, 6-15.

WATCH any of tonight's games at THIS LINK!

COMING LATER TODAY: Wednesday Preview and Updates

Check with us for coverage of Wednesday action later today right here!  Just 35 days away from the 2014 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Tournament at the Richmond Coliseum!

SATURDAY'S LINEUP:

There are five games on tap in Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball today:

St. Bonaventure (4-2, 15-6) at Richmond (3-3, 9-10), 12noon
St. Louis (0-5, 5-13) at Rhode Island (1-5, 6-13), 12noon
La Salle (4-2, 9-9) at George Washington (4-2, 13-6), 2pm
George Mason (0-6, 6-13) at VCU (4-3, 16-4), 2pm
UMass (0-6, 3-17), at Fordham (4-2, 15-4), 2pm

Sunday's league feature, to be televised by the NBC Sports Network, pits league leader Dayton (5-0, 12-4) against St. Joseph's (4-2, 15-4), the defending league tournament champion. The game will be played in Philadelphia.

Flyers Still Unblemished, Dukes Hot On Their Trail....

Make it 23 in a row for Jim Jabir's Dayton Flyers.

Dayton had little trouble at Massachusetts, defeating the Minutewomen 81-67 to move to 5-0 in Atlantic 10 play, 12-4 overall. Celeste Edwards, just a freshman, led the Flyers with 17 points. Dayton next moves down to Philadelphia for a Sunday matchup with St. Joseph's, winners earlier Wednesday over George Washington, in a game to be nationally-televised on the NBC Sports Network at 6pm.

Hot on their heels are the Duquesne Dukes, who scored an impressive 77-65 win over a suddenly struggling VCU at the Siegel Center. Raegan Moore led the Dukes with 21 points, while April Robinson tied a career-highwith 20 points. Robyn Parks had a game-high 24 for the Rams, who fall to 16-4 overall, but just 4-3 in the Atlantic 10. In one week's time, VCU has gone from fighting for second to struggling to stay in the top seven of the conference. The Dukes, meanwhile, improve to 6-1 in league play. They are 14-6 overall.  The Dukes don't play again until next Wednesday when they, again, return to Virginia, this time to Fairfax to battle George Mason. Duquesne doesn't play at home again until Wednesday February 5th.

Richmond's longest conference road trip of the year results in an important victory, 67-58 over the St. Louis Billikens. Down 28-23 at the half, the Spiders (3-3 in A-10, 9-10 overall) roared back behind freshman Olivia Healy, who scored 22 points and garnered 9 rebounds, while fellow freshman Janelle Hubbard added 19. Genevieve Okoro added 18 for Richmond. Olivia Jakubicek led St. Louis with 17 points. The Billikens fall to 0-5 in conference play, 5-13 overall.

And St. Bonaventure leaps over VCU and George Washington in the conference standings, leading from tip to final buzzer in a 63-55 win at Rhode Island. Emily Michael and Chelsea Bowker each hit for 14 points for the Bonnies, now 4-2 in Atlantic 10 play, 15-6 overall.

Updated league standings to the right of the page!

Wednesday in the Atlantic 10!

One game is already in the books, four more set for tonight!

The Hawks of St. Joseph's took an early lead, then spent the rest of the lunch hour feature game in the Nation's Capital keeping a determined George Washington Colonials team at bay, winning on the road 75-69 in snowy Washington Wednesday.

Erin Shields led the Hawks (4-2, 15-4) with 21 points and 7 assists, while Ilze Gotfrida added 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. The team shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and made 14 of 16 free throws, the difference in keeping the Colonials from ever taking the lead.

The Colonials dug a hole with 24 percent first half shooting, but were able to cut the halftime margin to just six at 34-28. Despite their own 50 percent shooting performance in the second half, they shot only 8-of-13 from the charity stripe in the final 20 minutes.

Two players had double-doubles for the home team: Caira Washington with 17 points and 16 rebounds, Brooke Wilson with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Danni Jackson was the Colonials' leading scorer with 18.

Down 34-19 with 2:27 left in the first half, the Colonials went on a 12-0 run that ended a minute into the second half when Kelsey Berger's three-pointer upped St. Joseph's lead back to six at 37-31. A 10-5 run over five minutes gave the Hawks the 47-36 lead with 13:26 left.

The Colonials went to work, cutting the lead to four at 8:52 left, to two just 1:13 later, and to just one with 3:38 to go. A Jackson jumper tied the game at 67 with 2:16 to go. Shields hit two free throws to retake the lead for the Hawks. Brooke Wilson's jumper tied it at 69 at 1:43 left, but that's as close as the Colonials would come.

St. Joseph's hit their next two shots, while GW committed a turnover with a minute left, then missed their last four field goal attempts.

George Washington next hosts La Salle Saturday, while St. Joseph's gets their shot at league leader Dayton in Philadelphia Sunday at 6pm.

OTHER GAMES TONIGHT (all tip times 7pm ET):

--Unbeaten Dayton goes to winless Massachusetts
--Duquesne looks to stay in 2nd place with a win at VCU
--Richmond tries to get to 3-3 at St. Louis, the Billikens looking for first league win
--St. Bonaventure travels to Rhode Island to face the Rams. A win, coupled with other certain results, could put the Bonnies in a 3rd place tie by night's end.

Watch any of tonight's games via the Atlantic 10 Digital Network AT THIS LINK.....

Missry, Deane Players of the Week....

Hannah Missry's three-point shooting in Richmond helps her, while Amber Deane fueling the final drive for another Dayton win helps her in winning Player of the Week honors in the Atlantic 10!

Details by CLICKING HERE!

WEEKEND REVIEW: Dayton Alone Atop League

The Flyers have ascended.

Dayton remains the lone unbeaten team in Atlantic 10 play after a flawless final three minutes Sunday afternoon, defeating Fordham 73-64. The Flyers move to 4-0 in league play, 11-4 overall, giving head coach Jim Jabir his 198th career victory. The Flyers haven't lost an Atlantic 10 game in nearly two years.

Amber Deane had 15 points for the Flyers. Aly Malott earned 14 points and 14 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season.

It was a 10-0 run by the Flyers after the Rams had taken a 58-57 lead on a Samantha Clark three-pointer with under three minutes left. The Rams shot 39 percent from the field and had four players in double figures, led by Erin Rooney with 19 points. Abigail Corning added 16 to go with 9 rebounds.

Dayton next travels to Amherst, Massachusetts to play UMass Wednesday evening. The Minutewomen are Fordham's next opponent as well, when they meet in the Bronx on Saturday afternoon.

OTHER ACTION: St. Joseph's gets an important third league win over a traditional "Big Five" rival, 64-52 over LaSalle, who, after a 4-0 league start, now falls to 4-2.

The Explorers experienced a worse loss seven minutes in as point guard Khristin Lee took a hard fall and injured her left leg. Work on Lee took just over 20 minutes as her leg was quickly placed in an air cast.

The Hawks were led by Sarah Fairbanks with 16 points and 8 rebounds while Natasha Cloud added 14. Alicia Cropper led the Explorers with 17 points, Leeza Burdgress had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

St. Joseph's comes down I-95 Wednesday to face George Washington, while LaSalle makes the same trip for their next game on Saturday afternoon.

NOTE: For complete recap of Saturday's four league games, CLICK HERE!!

WEEKEND UPDATE:

VCU, Duquesne, St. Bonaventure and George Washington pick up wins on Saturday.

Fordham and Dayton are battling NOW on ESPNU, while St. Joseph's and LaSalle tip-off at 5pm ET on CBS Sports Network.

Look for complete "Weekend In Review" here later Sunday night. League standings are updated on the right!

SATURDAY LINEUP!

Four games dot the A-10 women's landscape this afternoon and evening:

VCU at UMass, tipoff at 2pm: The Rams go to Amherst trying to shake off the disappointment of their first home loss Wednesday night against Fordham after erasing a double-digit second half deficit, being up by seven with 4:00 left. UMass is still looking for their first league win, and only their fourth win of the season. Look for Robyn Parks of VCU to have a big game in New England today.

Rhode Island at Duquesne, tipoff at 2pm: The Rams head west looking for an important second conference win against the Dukes, who are exceeding the expectations of some so far this season with their 4-1 league mark, good enough for a second place tie with Fordham and LaSalle. Rhode Island realizes how top-heavy the league standings are early, and the difference between starting 2-3 versus 1-4 is huge.

St. Louis at St. Bonaventure, tipoff at 4:30pm: The Bonnies easily handled LaSalle Wednesday, handing the Explorers their first conference loss, now hope to hold serve at home against St. Louis. At 2-2, St. Bonaventure is tied for 7th in a tough league. The Billikens have come out of the gate slow with an 0-3 league start, and still have to make good a game with league leader Dayton postponed two weeks ago due to snow.

George Mason at George Washington, tipoff at 7pm: Welcome to the Atlantic 10's newest territorial rivalry! The Patriots make the short trip up I-95 and I-395 to D.C. to face the Colonials. They won't find GW happy, as they're coming off a 90-69 loss at league-leader Dayton for their first conference loss. George Mason still seeks their first-ever A-10 conference victory, but should come in with more confidence after taking Richmond to overtime on the road Wednesday afternoon before falling 67-64. Sandra Ngoie went for 29 against the Spiders; she's the team's third leading scorer, averaging 12.5 per contest.

NOTE: In out-of-conference play Friday night, St. Joseph's beat Penn in a traditional "Big Five" matchup in Philadelphia, 60-52.

To watch any of today's games, CLICK HERE!

Preseason Favorites Seize First Place....

Pulling away with a strong performance after a briefly cold start post-intermission, the Dayton Flyers handed George Washington their first conference loss Thursday night 90-69 in a game telecast by CBS Sports Network.

The win puts Dayton all alone atop at Atlantic 10, the last unbeaten in the league.

Hear from Flyers' star Amber Deane and head coach Jim Jabir on this video:

Updated standings are on the right side of this page!

WEDNESDAY FINALS....

--St. Bonaventure hands LaSalle their first Atlantic 10 loss, 58-35....
--Duquesne moves to 4-1 in the conference, keeping UMass winless 67-52...
--Fordham survives at VCU 76-73 (see story below...)
--Richmond defeats George Mason in overtime, 67-64 (see story below...)

UPDATED standings are to the right!

THE WRAP: Forty Full Minutes Sends Fordham To Victory....

Even though she had missed her last eight three-point attempts after starting the game 3-for-4, Fordham freshman guard Hannah Missry had the green light, with a smile, from her head coach.

"I kept it light in the huddle," said Stephanie Gaitley. "Hey, the bank was open! Keep shooting."

Missry's three-pointer that banked in the basket with 1:13 to go pulled the visiting Rams to within two, 71-69, of the homestanding VCU Rams. 28 seconds later, Missry got another look, this time from the baseline. She rewarded the faith of Gaitley by hitting the bottom of the net.

Fordham never looked back, hitting free throws to wrap up a 76-73 win in Richmond, to improve to 4-1 in the Atlantic 10. It was a very disappointing defeat for VCU, who fell to 3-2 in the league. Both teams are 15-3 overall.

"Give credit to Fordham. We knew it would be a forty-minute battle, and they outlasted us down the stretch," said VCU head coach Marlene Stollings, who is now 0-2 against Fordham in the A-10. VCU had hoped, in part, to avenge a 71-41 loss in the Bronx in the teams' only meeting last season, and Fordham senior guard Erin Rooney knew, though a year had gone by, VCU likely had a long memory.

"We knew no matter what kind of team they were this year they were going to come out at us," Rooney noted, saying she had studied tape of VCU since they were "one of the top teams" in the Atlantic 10.

Fordham jumped to a 7-2 start, and hit eight three-pointers in the first half en route to a 43-36 intermission advantage. Stollings sent redshirt sophomore center Melanie Royster into the game to start the second half to try to interrupt the Fordham offense, who, when they weren't hitting from three, were finding open lanes for easy layups to build that seven-point edge.

"She (Royster) really disrupted them in the paint," Stollings explained. "They were dumping down and getting quite a few layups. Her size really bothered them."

And, at first, Fordham's need to go back to the outside jumper did not pay off, as they looked very tired. Shots were falling short, some not hitting the rim, and the Fury of VCU moved out to a 66-58 lead, when they were once down 11, with 4:30 to play.

But whether decided or not, the homestanding Rams decided to slow their tempo at this point, possibly to take time off the clock. They began to miss shots, Fordham limited second chances, and the door was open for Missry and company.

VCU had a chance to send the game to overtime with a three after a missed free throw with 13 seconds left, but failed.

VCU must next make the trip to Amherst, Massachusetts to battle UMass Saturday afternoon. Fordham next goes to Ohio for a showdown with preseason A-10 pick Dayton Sunday afternoon.

THE QUICK WRAP: Freshman plays beyond years as Spiders grind out OT win...

Put over a thousand students on a field trip to the Robins Center together with two hungry women's basketball teams and you have a formula ripe for exciting action.

Richmond and George Mason did not disappoint.  But on an afternoon where Sandra Ngoie showed just how dominating a player she could be in the Atlantic 10, the Patriots couldn't find a way to shut the door, as Richmond forced overtime, then outlasted their former CAA rivals 67-64 in the first-ever A-10 meeting between the two in-state Virginia rivals.

Ngoie finished the game with 29 points, 18 from three-point land, going 11-for-24 from the field. She also grabbed 9 rebounds. But her three-point shot, designed out of a Mason timeout with 9 seconds left, missed the mark. The ball went out of bounds to Mason with just :00.8 left, and they couldn't get off another shot. Janaa Pickard added 10 for George Mason, who saw their chance for their first-ever Atlantic 10 conference victory slip away in the extra session.

Freshman Olivia Healy had four of her team-high 20 points in overtime, as the Spiders kept Ngoie scoreless in those critical five minutes. Healy registered a double-double with 20 points, 12 boards, plus 7 assists and 2 steals with only 2 turnovers. Four Spiders were in double figures, including Genevieve Okoro and Janelle Hubbard with 13 points each.

The Spiders move to 2-3 in the Atlantic 10, 8-10 overall, while the Patriots fall to 0-5, 6-12.

COMING TONIGHT: Interview quotes from UR Head Coach Michael Shafer, Healy, and Okoro on today's Spider victory.

ALSO: We will Live Tweet from the Siegel Center for the "Battle of the Rams": Fordham at VCU, beginning just before 7pm at our Twitter feeds: @henricosports and @cfieldsports!

WEDNESDAY PREVIEW: Four Games On Tap, We Live Tweet Two!

A day/night doubleheader of A-10 Women's Hoops in the Capital City Wednesday, and we'll be there to watch it all!  Here's a preview of Wednesday conference action:

GEORGE MASON (0-4, 6-11) at RICHMOND (1-3, 7-10), 12NOON ET
--The newcomers from the CAA meet an old foe from that conference in Michael Shafer's Spiders, who come home looking to break the two-game skid they received in their Empire State road trip last week, losing to St. Bonaventure and Fordham. The Patriots still seek their first win in A-10 history. Richmond leads the all-time series between the in-state foes, 32-22, but haven't met in over four years.

UMASS (0-3, 3-14) at DUQUESNE (3-1, 11-6), 7PM ET in Pittsburgh
--The Dukes are the quiet power of the Atlantic 10, as most outside Pittsburgh forgot that Duquesne was picked third in the preseason A-10 poll. The team earned the program's 500th victory all-time over the weekend with a victory over Saint Louis. These teams have a storied history, with the Dukes leading the all-time series, 25-21. In their last meeting late in the 2012-13 season, the Dukes took a nine-point win, 53-44. Duquesne is 3-1 in January, handing Fordham its only conference loss a week ago before the Saint Louis win. Their only loss was to VCU. The Minutewomen have lost 11 of their last 12 after a 2-2 start. Their last win was at Kent State, 69-61 on December 17th.

LaSALLE (4-0, 9-7) at ST. BONAVENTURE (1-2, 12-6), 7PM ET
--The Explorers are the big surprise of the Atlantic 10. Picked to place tenth in the conference, the Explorers have powered to the top of the standings, a half-game ahead of George Washington. This is the first 4-0 Atlantic 10 start for LaSalle in history. The Bonnies are coming off a sluggish performance at Dayton, a 79-53 loss which dropped them under .500 in conference play. St. Bonaventure leads the all-time series 12-10. They played their first game in 1991.

FORDHAM (3-1, 14-3) at VCU (3-1, 15-2), 7PM ET in Richmond
--Both sets of "Rams" are in a three-way tie for 4th in the Atlantic 10 with Duquesne, but could be in a tie for first by night's end if LaSalle falls at St. Bonaventure. The VCU Rams got a big home win Sunday over defending tournament champion St. Joseph's, while the Fordham Rams knocked off Richmond at home Saturday. VCU remembers the 30-point loss in the Bronx a year ago, 71-41, in the first-ever meeting between the schools. It's sure to be a loud night at the Siegel Center as #Fury attempts to even the overall series and keep pace with league leaders.

NOTE: HCS Media Network will cover BOTH the George Mason/Richmond and Fordham/VCU games tomorrow.  Please follow us on Twitter at either @henricosports or @cfieldsports for real-time updates, with full reports HERE on our web page tomorrow night!

A Conversation With Dayton HC Jim Jabir....

Check out the newest edition of "The Jim Jabir Show", looking at early January play, and how the Flyers, the preseason pick in the A-10, have won seven straight.

Watch the program by CLICKING HERE.

Duquesne, VCU earn weekly player honors....

It was a good week for Duquesne and VCU, and key players for the Dukes and Rams earn accolades for their efforts!

Wumi Agunbiade was named A-10 Player of the Week, while Keira Robinson nailed down A-10 Rookie of the Week honors after her 21 point, 10 assist performance Sunday in the VCU win over St. Joseph's.

These, plus other honors for the week gone by available AT THIS LINK!

TEAM NOTE: St. Joseph's was the only team to receive a vote (one) in this week AP Top 25 Women's Basketball poll, and it came after the Hawks' loss Sunday night in Richmond to VCU....

SUNDAY SHOWCASE: Back and Forth Battle Goes to #Fury....

In a game nationally-televised on the CBS Sports Network. #VCU took step #1 towards another long winning streak with an important home victory, 73-69 over St. Joseph's. With the win, the Rams improve to 3-1 in the Atlantic 10, 15-2 overall, while the Hawks fell to 2-2 in league play, 12-4 overall.

With Robyn Parks held to half her scoring average with just 12 points, Keira Robinson took charge, leading VCU with a triple-double, 21 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Robinson for the season coming into the game averaged 11.8 points and just over 3 rebounds per contest.

Monnazjea Finney-Smith had four key three-pointers, including one nearing halftime to ensure a VCU lead at 43-37, and back-to-back treys midway through the second half, the second of which returned the lead to VCU at 57-56 with 7:59 to go.

The Hawks had balanced scoring, with four players with at least 12 points. Sarah Fairbanks led with 14, while Ciara Andrews and Erin Shields each had 13 and Kelsey Berger added 12. Poor shooting hurt both teams, as VCU won despite shooting 34.3 percent from the field. The Rams earned ten more free throw attempts than the Hawks, shooting 72 percent at the stripe (18-of-25).

St. Joseph's shot just 37.3 percent from the floor, but had 13 of the 15 free throws, and the Hawks outrebounded the Rams 51-43.

VCU next hosts Fordham in a 7pm Wednesday contest at the Siegel Center. The Battle of the Rams will feature two of the three teams tied for 4th in the A-10 with 3-1 records.

St. Joseph's goes outside of Atlantic 10 play for a traditional "Big Five" battle at home at Hagan Arena against Penn of the Ivy League. For more on the long, eight-decade tradition of "Big Five" Basketball in Philadelphia, CLICK HERE.

The Hawks return to league play a week from today hosting a league, and a "Big Five" rival in league-leading LaSalle. Will the Explorers still be on top of the Atlantic 10 when they go to Hagan Arena for a 5pm tipoff on CBS Sports Network? First LaSalle must survive a road trip Wednesday to St. Bonaventure.

SATURDAY REVIEW, SUNDAY PUTS VCU IN THE SPOTLIGHT....

SATURDAY A-10 WOMEN'S FINALS:

Dayton 79, St. Bonaventure, 53 (Flyers go to 2-0, recap HERE)

LaSalle 78, UMass 41 (Explorers take 1/2 game lead in standings, recap HERE)

Fordham 70, Richmond 59 (Rams keep pace with league leaders, recap HERE)

Duquesne 59, St. Louis 47 (Duquesne's 500th win in program history, recap HERE)

Rhode Island 59, George Mason 40 (Rams get 1st league victory, recap HERE)

UPDATED CONFERENCE STANDINGS ARE TO THE RIGHT.....    

TODAY'S FEATURE MATCHUP:

St. Joseph's (2-1, 12-3) at VCU (2-1, 14-2), 5pm at the Siegel Center

The defending A-10 Tournament Champions come to #Furyland to face the Rams. The game will be seen LIVE on CBS Sports Network (Comcast 732 or 854 for HD, Verizon FiOS 94, DirecTV 221, Dish Network 158).
                                            

FIVE Conference Games Saturday!

Separation is already beginning in the Atlantic 10 standings, and today, co-league leader LaSalle looks to take a half-game lead on George Washington as they host UMass, 0-2 in league play, in a 1pm game in Philadelphia.

Richmond, at 1-2, wants to keep the upper half of the league within their sights. To do that, they must find a way to win at Fordham, smarting after their first conference loss on Wednesday to Duquesne. The Rams are stingy, leading the A-10 in scoring defense, allowing just 56.1 points per contest. Richmond's biggest woe this year may be on the boards, as their rebounding margin against opponents after 16 games stands at -4.2. Tipoff is at 2pm.

Speaking of Duquesne, they find themselves in the western outpost of the Atlantic 10: St. Louis. The Billikens are also 0-2 and in need of an early turnaround in fortunes. Duquesne leads the A-10 in blocked shots, averaging almost five per game. Sadie Stipanovich will provide heavy opposition on the boards. Sadie is 11th in the conference averaging 7.5 boards per game. Gametime is 3pm.

Also at 2pm up in Kingston, Rhode Island, the league's two 0-3 teams square off, one will get that first conference victory. The Rhode Island Rams are 5-11 overall, while George Mason is 6-10. One possible key to this matchup: free throw shooting. The Patriots are #2 in the conference in FT percentage at 75.6 percent, while Rhode Island is 12th, at 64.7 percent.

Finally, Dayton welcomes St. Bonaventure for a 5pm contest. The 1-0 Flyers are 8-4 overall, while the Bonnies are 1-1 in conference, 12-5 overall. Dayton leads the A-10 in scoring offense, averaging 89.2 points per game. The Bonnies are 11th out of 13 teams, averaging 62.1.

For links to watch games online (for a fee), CLICK HERE.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT FINALS: George Washington, LaSalle Take Conference Lead...

The George Washington Colonials and LaSalle Explorers are at the top...for now.

With an 84-61 win over St. Louis in the Nation's Capital tonight, GW takes over first place in the Atlantic 10 at 3-0 alongside LaSalle, who ended VCU's 13-game winning streak with a 63-58 victory, knocking home free throws in the final minute to seal the win. The Colonials are 12-4 overall, LaSalle is 8-7. The VCU Rams fall to 14-2. Robyn Parks had 15 points and 12 rebounds in the #Fury effort. Full report on LaSalle/VCU can be found HERE.

Danni Jackson had 16 points and 14 assists for the Colonials. Full box score report can be found HERE.

Duquesne picked up a huge road victory tonight in the Bronx, defeating Fordham 65-61, handing the Rams their first conference defeat. Both teams now are in a four-way tie for 4th place at 2-1 with VCU and St. Joseph's, winners over Rhode Island earlier today.

And lest we forget about preseason #1 conference pick Dayton. The Flyers finally got to play their first conference game of the season tonight at newcomer George Mason and pulled away for a 91-64 win over the Patriots. Dayton is 1-0, two games behind the Explorers and Colonials in the loss column.

NEXT UP: Saturday sees five conference games on the schedule. LaSalle hosts winless UMass while George Washington is off until next Thursday, January 16th when they travel to Dayton to meet the Flyers in a game that has suddenly become an early A-10 season showdown.

Fordham will look to bounce back as they host Richmond, who fell to St. Bonaventure earlier this afternoon. The Bonnies are the next team to go to Dayton to face the Flyers. Duquesne looks to keep their winning ways when they go to St. Louis, a team, at 0-2, already desperate for a conference victory. George Mason and Rhode Island are a bit more desperate, as both teams are 0-3 in Atlantic 10 play heading into their game Saturday afternoon in Kingston.

SATURDAY SCHEDULE:

UMass at LaSalle, 1pm
Richmond at Fordham, 2pm
Duquesne at St. Louis, 2pm
George Mason at Rhode Island, 2pm
St. Bonaventure at Dayton, 5pm

NOTE: VCU hosts St. Joseph's Sunday, 5pm, in a nationally-televised game on the CBS Sports Network.

Hawks Back On Track, Rout Rhode Island....

The Hawks had Rams for lunch this Wednesday, going out to a big lead early, and St. Joseph's cruised to their second Atlantic 10 conference win, 72-35 in Philadelphia today.

Complete details and review of today's St. Joseph's victory available HERE.

There are FIVE more conference games today, including Richmond at St. Bonaventure at 4:30, while VCU is also in Philadelphia to battle LaSalle at 7pm.

GAMEDAY: Six Conference Matchups Throughout This Wednesday!

The action starts early in the City of Brotherly Love when St. Joseph's hosts Rhode Island in Atlantic 10 conference play today, tip-off scheduled for 11:30am!

In the late afternoon near Olean, New York, the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure looks for their first conference victory, welcoming the Richmond Spiders for a 4:30 tip.

St. Louis, whose home game Sunday with Dayton was postponed due to weather, travels to frigid Washington, DC to face George Washington at 7pm. The Colonials are coming off a road win at St. Joseph's.

Three other big matchups dot the evening lineup (all tip times 7pm ET):

--14-1 VCU, 2-0 in the A-10, also must travel to Philly, as they'll face fellow unbeaten LaSalle.

--13-2 Fordham, also 2-0 in the A-10, host Duquesne in the Bronx.

--And Dayton, the preseason pick to win the Atlantic 10, finally plays its first conference game in Northern Virginia against newcomer George Mason, who, at 0-2 in the conference, seeks a historic first A-10 victory. The Flyers are 7-4 overall, the Patriots are 6-9.

WATCH LIVE: For links to any of the six Wednesday matchups, CLICK HERE.

Fly, Robin Fly Indeed! VCU "Parks" At Top of A-10.....

Our friends at Ladyswish hit the nail on the head regarding the recent play of VCU standout Robyn Parks.

Click HERE for Vicki's fantastic review of Parks' week, which spurred the Rams to their best start in school history at 14-1.

And for the best coverage of women's college hoops from across the Commonwealth, click on our link to Ladyswish on the right side of this page!

Birthday Girl Gets Late Present: Jones Named GW Player of the Week...

Jonquel Jones knows how to turn 20 in style.

Jones was named the GW Colonial of the Week, averaging a double-double in three wins, saving her best work for her birthday on Sunday, scoring a career-high 21 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in a nationally-televised road win at St. Joseph's.

Read more on Jones HERE.

MONDAY UPDATE.....

There are no conference games scheduled for either Monday or Tuesday, as teams prepare for a six-game lineup of action on Wednesday night. Only UMass will not play on Wednesday, their next game being against currently 2-0 LaSalle in Philadelphia on Saturday.

For a complete look at Sunday's three games that did take place (Dayton/St. Louis postponed due to the weather in the midwest), read the synopsis from the A-10 website by clicking HERE.

Two teams advanced to 2-0 and a player hit the 1,000 point career mark. Add to that an unforgettable performance for a Colonial on her birthday and it was a memorable Sunday in A-10 Women's Action!

For video highlights of George Washington/St. Joseph's from NBC Washington, CLICK HERE!

TWO MONTHS FROM TODAY: FIRST ROUND THURSDAY at the 2014 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Tournament at the Richmond Coliseum!!!

CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets for the best seats available as the best in college basketball comes to #RVA!

SUNDAY A-10 FINALS....

Abigail Corning hits the 1,000 point career mark leading Fordham to a 75-61 win at UMass this afternoon.
Synopsis and statistics from the game are HERE.

Richmond picked up its first conference win despite shooting struggles in the second half, holding off Rhode Island 49-43. Genevieve Okoro had 7 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks for Richmond, who move to 1-1 in league play. Complete recap of the Spiders win available HERE.

Earlier, George Washington held a 10-point margin much of the afternoon before a late surge gave St. Joseph's a chance to win. But the Colonials turned them aside in the end for a 74-67 road win in Philadelphia to move to 2-0 in conference play. Birthday girl Jonquel Jones had 21 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.

A-10 LIVE NOW---NBC Sports Network

George Washington is battling St. Joseph's in Philadelphia NOW on NBCSN, with GW ahead on the road 28-16, 5:10 left first half.

The Rhode Island/Richmond game begins at 2pm on CBS 6.3, the CBS6 digital subchannel that normally provides weather 24/7....

SUNDAY LINEUP: Two Games Televised!

Two A-10 teams will be featured on national cable television when St. Joseph's welcomes George Washington to Philadelphia for a 1pm tip-off.  The game will be aired by NBC Sports Network.

The game was to be part of a doubleheader on NBCSN, but due to inclement weather in the St. Louis area, the St. Louis/Dayton game has been postponed to a date to be determined.

Here's the Sunday lineup:

George Washington (1-0, 10-4) at St. Joseph's (1-0, 11-2), 1pm, NBCSN
Fordham (1-0, 12-2) at UMass (0-1, 3-12), 2pm
Rhode Island (0-1, 5-9) at Richmond (0-1, 6-8), 2pm at Robins Center.***

***--The Rhode Island/Richmond game can be seen on CBS6.3, the CBS6 digital subchannel normally devoted to weather 24/7. Airtime is 2pm. Verizon FiOS 466, Comcast 206.

SATURDAY NIGHT FINALS...

LaSalle moves to 2-0 in conference play, 65-50 winners over George Mason, now 0-2...

VCU, down for much of the game, overcomes Duquesne at the end to take a 71-68 victory in Pittsburgh to improve to 2-0. The Dukes fall to 1-1.

Get the complete review of VCU's 13th win in 14 games by clicking HERE!
For complete coverage of LaSalle's convincing win, click HERE!

Inclement Weather Postpones Dayton/St. Louis....

An early season conference showdown will have to wait.

Inclement weather in the St. Louis area has forced the postponement of Sunday's scheduled nationally-televised game between the Dayton Flyers and the St. Louis Billikens. A make-up date has not been announced.

This means the preseason pick to win the conference, the Flyers (7-4) must until Wednesday to begin conference play when they go to A-10 newcomer George Mason to play in the Patriot Center in Fairfax.

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE

LaSalle at George Mason, 7pm (watch LIVE at THIS LINK)
VCU at Duquesne, 7pm (watch LIVE at THIS LINK)

There are four games on the Sunday schedule, including a nationally televised doubleheader, GW at St. Joseph's at 1pm, Dayton at St. Louis at 3pm, both on NBC Sports Network.

TONIGHT IN THE A-10: January 3rd...

There are no games on tap on this Friday evening.

Two games are scheduled for Saturday:

LaSalle at George Mason, 7pm
VCU at Duquesne, 7pm

Both Saturday evening games can be seen online on the Atlantic 10 Digital Network BY CLICKING HERE!

Thursday January 2nd: Conference Action Heats Up!!

With the holidays now out of the way, it's time for two months of intense Atlantic 10 action for all 13 schools as ten teams squared off in five A-10 conference battles Thursday afternoon and evening.

LaSalle got things going with a hard-fought 50-44 win at Rhode Island in overtime in the A-10 opener for both schools. Leeza Burdgress had 15 points to lead the Explorers, who lost an 11-point second half lead as the homestanding Rams forced the extra session.  More on this game can be found HERE.

Fordham picked up its first conference win in convincing fashion, winning its 11th straight game, 74-52 over St. Louis. That 11th win broke the school record for consecutive wins, formerly 10 during the 1978-79 season. It's also the best 14-game start to a season in school history.

Erin Rooney had her fifth double-double of the season with 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Rams. More on this game is available HERE.

In the Beltway Battle, four George Washington Colonials were in double figures, including a double-double by freshman Caira Washington as GW defeated George Mason 72-56.  The win was the Colonials' sixth straight, their longest win streak in five years. More details on the game available HERE.

Richmond shot 51 percent in the first half to build a 12-point halftime lead on St. Joseph's, but the Hawks stormed back in the second half to seal an 85-80 victory at the Robins Center. The Hawks shot 56.8 percent in the second half to spur the comeback. Sarah Fairbanks led the Hawks with 19 points, while Ilze Gotfrida had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. More information on the game is available HERE.

The "Fury" of VCU put on a show at Verizon Wireless Arena Thursday, taking a 62-19 lead at halftime en route to an easy 112-54 win over UMass. The Rams, 13-1, have matched their best start in school history, and the 58-point margin of victory was the second most in program history. Robyn Parks led with 22 points, extending her streak of games with 20 or more points scored to nine. More information on this game available HERE.

And in non-conference play, Dayton held at home with a 112-85 win over Wright State of the Horizon League. The win placed Dayton at 7-4 as they prepare to start Atlantic 10 play. Ally Malott led the Flyers with 23 points, Andrea Hoover had 22, five above her season average, while Amber Deane matched her season average with 16. More information is available HERE.